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Full-Text Articles in Law
Principled Policing: Warrior Cops And Guardian Officers, Seth W. Stoughton
Principled Policing: Warrior Cops And Guardian Officers, Seth W. Stoughton
Faculty Publications
Policing in the United States is in crisis. Public confidence in policing is at the lowest point since the Rodney King beating. A bare majority of Americans still report confidence in the police, and an unprecedented number of people report no or very little confidence in policing. A long history of poor police/community relations in minority and low-income neighborhoods has been exacerbated by egregious acts of misconduct, some of which have been captured on video and shared on social media. Activists, politicians, and police officials themselves have called for better education and equipment, from de-escalation training to body-worn camera systems. …
How Reasonable Is The Reasonable Man?: Police And Excessive Force, Geoffrey P. Alpert, William C. Smith
How Reasonable Is The Reasonable Man?: Police And Excessive Force, Geoffrey P. Alpert, William C. Smith
Faculty Publications
The authority of the police to use force represents one of the most misunderstood powers granted to representatives of government. Police officers are authorized to use both psychological and physical force to apprehend criminals and solve crimes. This Article focuses on issues of physical force. After a brief introduction and a review of current legal issues in the use of force, the Article discusses "reasonableness" and the unrealistic expectation which is placed on police to understand, interpret, and follow vague "reasonableness" guidelines. Until the expectations and limitations on the use of force are clarified, in behavioral terms, police officers will …